1.

INTRODUCTION
My area of research falls under Marketing Management. Marketing management is the application, tracking and review of a business' marketing resources and activities. The scope of a business marketing management depends on the size of the business and the industry in which the business operates. Effective marketing management will use a company's resources to increase its customer base, improve customer opinions of the company's products and services, and increase the company's perceived value. 1 My topic of research is Promoting Singapore as a high-end destination for a niche market. This falls under the service sector of tourism industry, marketing and promotion. Tourism is a phenomenon comprising activities of persons traveling and staying away from home in pursuit of leisure, culture, business and the quest for knowledge. It is a service industry with several allied and auxiliary activities such as tour operators, travel agents, accommodation, passenger transportation, insurance, entertainment and shopping. Thus the tourism industry by nature and structure is multi-dimensional, it is world wide in its operation and versatile in character. Tourism is the worlds largest export industry. The highest growth rate in tourism in recent years has been registered in third world countries. In the last couple of decades, tourism has emerged as the most lucrative economic ventures in almost all developing countries including India as it has immense potentiality in yielding tax revenues, promoting growth of allied industries, generating income and gainful employment, and in the development of industrially backward regions.
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This year Vensimal is working on the theme "2009 Reasons to Enjoy Singapore" where it will be talking about reasons to enjoy Singapore & my objective will be working on the reasons on fictitious numbers as reason numbers, so all the activities be it shopping, attraction, lifestyle etc will be considered as a reason to visit & enjoy Singapore & will be allotted a reason number like 1104, 1105, 1109, 1200 etc. Vensimal along with Singapore Tourism Board & Singapore Airlines would be aggressively promoting Singapore as a High End Destination focusing on shopping & lifestyle during the upcoming Great Singapore Sale.

Great Singapore Sale is the event that showcases Singapore as the most compelling shopping lifestyle destination of the region. The GSS rewards shopaholics with a quality sale, complete with a uniquely lifestyle experience in a safe and convenient/seamless environment. The Great Singapore Sale is an island wide sale & during this period all the retailers come together & participate in this sale. It is Singapores most anticipated shopping extravaganza and this year is starting from the 29 May to 26 July 2009.

VENSIMAL WORLD TRAVEL AGENTS PVT. LTD. Vensimal World Travel Agents is regarded as one of the leading IATA Travel Agencies in Eastern India since 1928. Pioneers in this trade, offering value added services and focused marketing of their products and principals. With 25 Network Units & over 100 suppliers and trade partners, Vensimal is one of the largest International Hotel Wholesaler and Package Tour Operator in Eastern India.

Areas of operation:2

Inbound & Outbound Product Management. Airline Reservations & Ticketing. Wholesale of International Hotels & Sightseeing's. Domestic and International Package Tours. Group & Incentive Tours. Trade Delegation & Conferences. Event Management. Cruise Bookings & European Rail Reservations. Ground Arrangement and Surface Transport. (domestic & international) Visa, Passports and Immigration Services. Travel Insurance.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

As per Kotler, Keller, Jha in the book marketing management: Marketing deals with identifying and meeting human and social needs. One of the shortest definition of marketing is meeting needs profitably. To prepare to be a marketer, you need to understand what marketing is, how it works, what is marketed, and who does the marketing. The American Marketing Association offers the following marketing definition: marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationship is ways that benefits the organization and its stake holders. 3 Marketing is an integrated communications-based process through which individuals and communities discover that existing and newly-identified needs and wants may be satisfied by the products and services of others. The term developed from the original meaning which referred literally to going to market, as in shopping, or going to a market to buy or sell goods or services.4 As per http://en.wiklipedia.org/wiki/Marketing: The Chartered Institute of Marketing define marketing as 'The management process responsible for identifying , anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably'P.Tailor of www.learnmarketing.net suggests that 'Marketing is not about providing products or services it is essentially about providing changing benefits to the changing needs and demands of the customer (P.Tailor 7/00)'.4 Marketing management is an art and science of choosing target market and getting, keeping and growing customer through creating, delivering, and communicating superior consumer value.5

IMPORTANCE OF MARKETING 4

In the corporate world today, in 2008 creating a thriving corporation faces many challenges. Even industries that are internationally recognized struggle daily to maintain status quo. Marketing is a vital component to the prosperity of branding, and influencing behavior. All of these tactics are performed to encourage sales. marketing a business involves a whole lot more than merely getting hold of clients.6 Companies now understand that marketing plays an important roll in their overall success, so now companies have CMOs (Chief Marketing Officer) along with CFOs and CEOs. They understand that if there are functions close to customers its ether Sales or Marketing. Sales become a direct interface among customs and products offered by companies, and marketing is an indirect function between customer and the company.7 The root word in the term marketing is market. A market is a group of potential customers for a particular product who are willing to and are able to spend money or exchange other resources to obtain the product. The term can be somewhat confusing because it has been used to designate buildings or places institutions and stores, as well as many other things. But each usage suggests people and group with purchasing power who are willing to exchange their resources for something else. 7 THE NATURE OF INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS As mentioned my Philip Kotler in the book Marketing Management, Integrated Marketing Communications is defined by the American Association of Advertising Agencies as a concept of marketing communications planning that recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan. Such a plan evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communications discipline- for example general advertising, direct response, sales promotion and public relations-and combines these disciplines to provide clarity, consistency and maximum impact through the seamless integration of messages. The wide range of communication tools, 5

messages, and audiences makes it imperative that companies move toward IMC.8 As mentioned by William M. Pride & OC Ferell in the book Marketing concept and strategies, IMC refer to the coordination of promotion and other marketing efforts to ensure maximum informational and persuasive impact on customers. Coordinating multiple marketing tools to produce this synergistic effect requires a marketer to employ a broader perspective. A major goal of IMC is to send a consistent message to customers. Because various units both inside and outside most companies have traditionally planned and implemented promotional efforts, customers have not always received consistent messages. IMC provides an organization ways to coordinate and manage its promotional efforts to ensure that customers receive consistent messages. This approach fosters not only long term customer relationships but also the efficient use of promotional resources. 9 As mentioned by Michael J. Etzel, Bruce J Walker & William J. Stanton in the book Marketing, communication is the verbal or non-verbal transmission of information between someone wanting to express an idea and someone else expected or expecting to get that idea. Because promotion is a form of communication, much can be learned about structuring effective promotion by examining the communication process. The communication process consists of several steps. Firstly, the information that the sender wants to share must be encoded into a transmittable form. Then the message is transmitted through some communication channel. After that, the sender decodes the message into a meaningful form. If the message has been transmitted successfully, then there is some change in the receivers knowledge, beliefs or feelings. The response then serves as a feedback to the sender of the message whether the message was received and how it was perceived by the recipient. All the stages of the process can be affected by noise-that is, any external factor that interferes with successful communication. 10 PROMOTION 6

INTRODUTION TO THE PROMOTIONAL MIX As per http://tutor2u.net/business/marketing/promotion_mix.asp: It is not enough for a business to have good products sold at attractive prices. To generate sales and profits, the benefits of products have to be communicated to customers. In marketing, this is commonly known as "promotion". Promotion is all about companies communicating with customers. A business' total marketing communications programs is called the "promotional mix" and consists of a blend of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and public relations tools. In this revision note, we describe the four key elements of the promotional mix in more detail. It is helpful to define the four main elements of the promotional mix before considering their strengths and limitations. (1) Advertising Any paid form of non-personal communication of ideas or products in the "prime media": i.e. television, newspapers, magazines, billboard posters, radio, cinema etc. Advertising is intended to persuade and to inform. The two basic aspects of advertising are the message (what you want your communication to say) and the medium (how you get your message across) (2) Personal Selling Oral communication with potential buyers of a product with the intention of making a sale. The personal selling may focus initially on developing a relationship with the potential buyer, but will always ultimately end with an attempt to "close the sale".

(3) Sales Promotion 7

Providing incentives to customers or to the distribution channel to stimulate demand for a product. (4) Publicity The communication of a product, brand or business by placing information about it in the media without paying for the time or media space directly. otherwise known as "public relations" or PR. 11 As mentioned by William M. Pride & OC Ferell in the book Marketing concept and strategies: OBJECTIVES OF PROMOTION Create awareness The sellers task is to let the buyers know that the product or brand exists. Here the objective is to build familiarity with the product and the brand name. Provide knowledge Some promotion is designed to assist customers in the search stage of the purchasing process. In some cases, such as when a product is so novel it creates a new category of product and has few competitors, the information is simply intended to explain what the product is and may not mention any competitors. Create interests Moving a customer from awareness of a product to making a purchase can present a significant challenge. customers must first recognize they have a need before they actively start to consider a purchase. Build liking 8

Liking refers to how the market feels about the product. Promotion can be used to move a knowledgeable audience from being indifferent to liking a brand. Create preference Creating preference involves distinguishing among brands such that the market finds your brand more attractive than alternatives. Stimulate demand The right promotion can drive customers to make a purchase. In the case of products that a customer has not previously purchased or has not purchased in a long time, the promotional efforts may be directed at getting the customer to try the product. 12

As per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_promotion : Sales promotion is one of the four aspects of promotional mix. (The other three parts of the promotional mix are advertising, personal selling, and publicity/public relations.) Media and non-media marketing communication are employed for a pre-determined, limited time to increase consumer demand, stimulate market demand or improve product availability. Examples include:

contests point of purchase displays rebates free travel, such as free flights

Sales promotions can be directed at either the customer, sales staff, or distribution channel members (such as retailers). Sales promotions targeted at

the consumer are called consumer sales promotions. Sales promotions targeted at retailers and wholesale are called trade sales promotions. 13 As mentioned by Zikmund/DAmico of the book The power of marketing: The main purpose of sales promotion is to achieve short-term objectives. Free samples or coupons encourage a first time trial of the product. A premium offer or a sweepstakes may stimulate interest in a product and encourage off-season sales. A contest may require that individuals visit a store or showroom to see if they have won. Whether the sales promotion takes the form of a trade show, a consumer rebate, a POP display for retailers, the best sales promotions support are coordinated with other promotional activities. 14 As mentioned by Johny K Johansson of the book Global Marketing, With the dismantling of the regulations hampering the economy, India has moved from a sellers market to a buyers market. This has also meant an increased emphasis on brand awareness and a consequent need for advertising. Media availability has increased exponentially, companies ad budgets are large, and domestic and foreign advertising agencies are competing freely. The advertising business is booming. 15 As per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising: Advertising is a form of communication that typically attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume more of a particular brand of product or service. While now central to the contemporary global economy and the reproduction of global production networks, it is only quite recently that advertising has been more than a marginal influence on patterns of sales and production. The formation of modern advertising was intimately bound up with the emergence of new forms of monopoly capitalism around the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century as one element in corporate strategies to create, organize and where possible control markets, 10

especially for mass produced consumer goods. Mass production necessitated mass consumption, and this in turn required a certain homogenization of consumer tastes for final products. At its limit, this involved seeking to create world cultural convergence, to homogenize consumer tastes and engineer a convergence of lifestyle, culture and behaviors among consumer segments across the world.

Many advertisements are designed to generate increased consumption of those products and services through the creation and reinvention of the "brand image" . For these purposes, advertisements sometimes embed their persuasive message with factual information. Every major medium is used to deliver these messages, including television, radio, cinema, magazines, newspapers, video the Internet,carrier bags and billboards. Advertising is often an advertising agency on behalf of a company or other organization. games, placed by

Organizations that frequently spend large sums of money on advertising that sells what is not, strictly speaking, a product or service includepolitical parties, interest groups, religious organizations, and military recruiters. Non-profit organizations are not typical advertising clients, and may rely on free modes of persuasion, such as public service announcements.

Money spent on advertising has increased dramatically in recent years. In 2007, spending on advertising has been estimated at over $150 billion in the United States and $385 billion worldwide, and the latter to exceed $450 billion by 2010.

While advertising can be seen as necessary for economic growth, it is not without social costs. Unsolicited Commercial Email and other forms of spam have become so prevalent as to have become a major nuisance to users of these services, as well as being a financial burden on internet service providers.

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[4] Advertising is increasingly invading public spaces, such as schools, which some critics argue is a form of child exploitation. 16 As mentioned by Kenneth Roman & Jane Maas with Martin Nisanhaltz of the book How to advertise : Advertising is a business of ideas. Whether or not you consider yourself creative, you must respect the creative process and understand how to work with and inspire creative people. All human beings are not equal, when it comes to grabbing ideas that are good. But we are all more equal than we think. The business of ideas has several parts: Where ideas come from. Protecting new ideas. Create an environment for ideas. Generating Ideas. Magic of Ideas.17

As mentioned by the author AD Farbey of the book the art of marketing : WHAT ADVERTISING CAN DO It can create awareness or make things known. It helps to create or develop favourable attitudes. It can create a brand identity. It helps to position a product in the market. It helps to create a force to build and strengthen producer-customer relationships over time. To offset competition in the emerging competitive market, by enhancing the growth of the competitive activity. It helps meet competitors and match competitors, by persuading the 12

customer or providing a counter-claim. It gives a unique personality to the brand or the product or both. Thus, differentiates one from the rest. It helps the organization to reach a mass of people, which is not possible through direct communication.18

As per http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Cadbury/136805 WHAT ADVERTISING CANT DO If the product or service is poor, advertising can sell it once, but not twice. If the corporate fails, advertising cannot add to its credibility, thus it is ineffective. Advertising cannot overcome poor price of the product, inappropriate pricing would lead to failure. It cannot create demand when other elements have failed. It cannot create demand, when the market is low.19

PERSONAL SELLING

As mentioned by Michael J. Etzel, Bruce J Walker & William J. Stanton in the book Marketing, Personal selling is the direct, personal communication of information, in contrast to the indirect, impersonal communication of advertising, sales promotion, and other promotional tools. This means that personal selling can be more flexible than these other tools. Sales people can tailor their presentations to fit the needs and behavior of individual customers. They can see their customers reactions to a particular sales approach and make adjustments on the spot. 20 As per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_relations: 13

Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow of information between an organization and its publics. Public relations gains an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. Because public relations places exposure in credible third-party outlets, it offers a third-party legitimacy that advertising does not have. Common activities include speaking at conferences, working with the press, and employee communication. PR can be used to build rapport with employees, customers, investors, voters, or the general public. Almost any organization that has a stake in how it is portrayed in the public arena employs some level of public relations. A number of specialties exist within the field of public relations, such as Analyst Relations, Media Relations, Investor Relations or Labor Relations. 21

As per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_audience In marketing and advertising, a target audience, or target group is the primary group of people that something, usually an advertising campaign, is aimed at appealing to. A target audience can be people of a certain age group, gender, marital status, etc. (ex: teenagers, females, single people, etc.) A certain combination, like men from twenty to thirty is often a target audience. Other groups, although not the main focus, may also be interested. Discovering the appropriate target market(s) to market a product or service to is one of the most important stages involved with market research. Without knowing the target audience, a company's advertising and the selling efforts can become difficult and very expensive. 22

As per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niche_market: 14

A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing on; Therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intending to impact. Every single product that is on sale can be defined by its niche market. As of special note, the products aimed at a wide demographics audience, with the resulting low price (due to Price elasticity of demand), are said to belong to the Mainstream niche, in practice referred only as Mainstream or of high demand. Narrowed demographics though lead to elevated price because of the same principles. In practice, product vendors and trade businesses are commonly referred as mainstream providers or narrow demographics niche market providers (colloquially shortened to just niche market providers). Small capital providers usually opt for a niche market with narrow demographics as a measure of increasing their gain margins. Nevertheless, the final product quality (low or high) is not dependant on the price elasticity of demand though, it is more associated with the specific needs that the product is aimed at satisfy and in some cases with brand recognition which the vendor wants to be associated with (i.e Prestige, Practicability, Money saving, Expensiveness, Planet environment conscience, Power, etc) 23

As per: http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/marketingcolumnistkimtgordon/article496 08.html :

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Most companies, whether big or small, direct their marketing to select niche audiences. Even the country's largest manufacturers target carefully pinpointed market segments to maximize the effectiveness of their programs and often tackle different niches for each product group. Niche marketing can be extremely cost-effective. For instance, imagine you offer a product or service that's just right for a select demographic or ethnic group in your area, such as Hispanics or Asians. You could advertise on ethnic radio stations, which have considerably lower rates than stations that program for broader audiences. So your marketing budget would go a lot further, allowing you to advertise with greater frequency or to use a more comprehensive media mix.24

3. METHODOLOGY

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3.1 Introduction to Research Methodology Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. One can also define research as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation. The Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of research as a careful investigation or inquiry especially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge. Some people consider research as a movement from the known to the unknown. It is actually a voyage of discovery. We all possess the vital instinct of inquisitiveness for, when the unknown confronts us, we wonder and our inquisitiveness makes us probe and attain full and fuller understanding of the unknown. This inquisitiveness is the mother of all knowledge and the method, which man employs for obtaining the knowledge of whatever the unknown, can be termed as research. Research is an academic activity and as such the term should be used in a technical sense. According to Clifford Woody research comprises defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting, organizing and evaluating data; making deductions and reaching conclusions; and at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis. Research is, thus, an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its advancement. It is the pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison and experiment. In short, the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of finding solution to a problem is research.

At the end of the session, you should be able to: 1. Define the research objective 17

2. Identify the problem 3. Formulate a Hypothesis 4. Various methods of Data Collection 5. Ethical Considerations Research Objective Though each research study has its own specific purpose, we may think of research objective as falling into a number of following broad groupings: 1. to gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into I (studies with this object in view are termed as exploratory research studies) 2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group (studies with this object in view are known as descriptive research studies) 3. To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated with something else (studies with this object in view are known as diagnostic research studies) 4. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such studies are known as hypothesis-testing research studies). Problem Identification Quite often we hear that a problem clearly stated is a problem half solved. This statement signifies the need for defining a research problem. In the research process, the first and foremost step happens to be that of selecting and properly defining a research problem. A researcher must find the problem and formulate it so that it becomes susceptible to research. Like a medical doctor, a researcher must examine all the symptoms (presented to him or observed by him)

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concerning a problem before he can diagnose correctly. To define a problem correctly, a researcher must know: what a problem is? Formulation of a Hypothesis Hypothesis is usually considered as the principal instrument in research. Its main function is to suggest new experiments and observations. In fact, many experiments are carried out with the deliberate object of testing hypothesis. Ordinarily, when one talks about hypothesis, one simply means a mere assumption or some supposition to be proved or disproved. But for a researcher hypothesis is a formal question that he intends to resolve. Data Collection The task of data collection begins after a research problem has been defined and research design chalked out. While deciding about the method of data collection to be used for the study, the researcher should keep in mind two types of data viz., primary and secondary. Primary Data: It is the information collected directly from a respondent population as opposed to secondary or published data. Methods of collecting primary data are observation, interview, through questionnaires and consumer panels. Primary Data involved the collection of data that does not already exist. It was collected through numerous forms, including questionnaires and telephone interviews amongst others. This information is also collected in things like questionnaires, magazines, and interviews. Secondary Data: Any information that was collected from intermediate sources. Industry figures, databases, library sources and so forth are examples of secondary data. Secondary data sources may include published or unpublished 19

data. Published data were available in various publications of the central, state and local governments, books, magazine and newspaper, and unpublished data are prepared by research scholars, universities and economists in different fields. The research work for this project has been done through primary and secondary sources. The questionnaire method is quite popular, particularly in case of big enquiries. It is being adopted by private individuals, research workers, private and public organizations and even by governments. The method of collecting data by mailing the questionnaire to respondents is most extensively employed in various economic and business surveys. The merits claimed on behalf of this method are as follows: 1. There is low cost even when the universe is large and is widely spread geographically. 2. It is free from the bias of the interviewer; answers are in respondents own words. 3. Respondents have adequate time to give well thought out answers. 4. Respondents, who are not easily approachable, can also be reached conveniently. The main demerits of this system can be listed here: 1. Low rate of return of the duly filled in questionnaires; bias due to noresponse is often indeterminate. 2. It can be used only when respondents are educated and cooperating. 3. The control over questionnaires may be lost once it is sent. 4. It is difficult to know whether willing respondents are truly representative. 5. This method is likely to be the slowest of all.

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The interview method of collecting data involves presentation of oral-verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral-verbal responses. The merits of the interview method are as follows: 1. More information and that too in greater depth can be obtained.

2. It is flexible, faster and cheaper.

3.

Interviewer by his own skill can overcome the resistance, if any, of

the respondents; the interview method can be made to yield an almost perfect sample of the general population. 4. There is greater flexibility under this method as the opportunity to

restructure questions is always there, especially in case of unstructured interviews. 5. Observation method can as well be applied to recording verbal answers to various questions. The demerits of the interview method are as follows: 1. It is a very expensive method 2. There remains the possibility of the bias of interviewer as well as that of the respondent.
3. Certain types of respondents such as important officials or

executives or people in high income groups may not be easily approachable. 4. This method is relatively more-time-consuming. 5. Interviewing at times may also introduce systematic errors.

Observation Observation involves recording the behavioral patterns of people, objects and events in a systematic manner. Observational methods may be: 21

Structured or unstructured, Disguised or undisguised, Natural or contrived, Personal, Mechanical, Non-participant or Participant.

Case-studies The term case-study usually refers to a fairly intensive examination of a single unit such as a person, a small group of people, or a single company. Casestudies involve measuring what is there and how it got there. In this sense, it is historical. It can enable the researcher to explore, unravel and understand problems, issues and relationships. It cannot, however, allow the researcher to generalize, that is, to argue that from one case-study the results, findings or theory developed apply to other similar case-studies. The case looked at may be unique and, therefore not representative of other instances. It is, of course, possible to look at several case-studies to represent certain features of management that we are interested in studying. The case-study approach is often done to make practical improvements. Contributions to general knowledge are incidental. The case-study method has four steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. Determine the present situation. Gather background information about the past and key variables. Test hypotheses. Take remedial action.

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3.2 Quantitative and Qualitative research and data gathering The task of data collection begins after a research problem has been defined and research design chalked out. There are mainly two types of data, primary and secondary. Qualitative Research Data: Qualitative methods are those which focus on numbers and frequencies rather than on meaning and experience. It is a field of inquiry that crosscuts disciplines and subject matters. Qualitative methods are ways of collecting data which are concerned with describing meaning, rather than with drawing statistical inferences. They provide a more in depth and rich description. Quantitative Research Data: Quantitative methods (e.g. experiments,

questionnaires and psychometric tests) provided information which was easy to analyze statistically and fairly reliable. The objective of quantitative research was to develop and employ models, theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to natural phenomena. Quantitative methods were associated with the scientific and experimental approach and were criticized for not providing an in depth description. Quantitative methods have come under considerable criticism. In modern research, most psychologists tend to adopt a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, which allow statistically reliable information obtained from numerical measurement to be backed up by and enriched by information about the research participants' explanations.

Data Gathering The various methods adopted for my researches are: 1. Questionnaires 2. Observations 23

The methods were selected, keeping in mind the nature of the subject. When we talk about advertising and sales promotion, it is directly related to the consumer behavior. Thus, we could only find questionnaire method to know the consumer perspective. The interview method was really similar to the prior method. Observation was done to study the impact of various method adopted by various companies which provided a holistic approach about the topic. Thus, we the various methods were studied to come to a conclusion.

3.3 Data Analysis Media strategy is about attempting to ensure that a clients message is seen or heard by the right people, at the right time, in the right place, in the right environment, with the right frequency and weight, and at the right price, and remembering that each problem is different. Normally, a mix of media is used and media planners use past experience along with research. The Various tools, which were used to conduct the project research included Questionnaire method. In this method, around 60 high-income grouped people were asked questions, related to marketing communication channels such as advertising and sales promotion and also there were questions about their shopping preferences and priorities. The questionnaire was designed in such a way, so that the basics of advertising and sales promotion could be made aware to the respondent. The initial questions built up an interest to answer rest of the questions. The questions were very interesting, and as per the results, we were in a condition to make a conclusion. The first question was aimed to find out that which communication tool would influence our target audience the best, and from the replies of the respondents it 24

was found out that most of the people were pretty exposed to the various communication tools, but newspaper was found to be read by 98.33 % of the 60 people we had questioned. (Refer to annexure 1) Next we asked them whether they preferred branded shopping, non-branded or both. From the replies we got, we found out that most of the high-income grouped people were fond of branded shopping and only 10% opted for non-branded. So it is clearly evident that the high end market of Kolkata do prefer branded shopping. (Refer to annexure 2) The next question was whether they perceived shopping as a necessity, enjoyment or lifestyle. The answers we got showed that quite a handful of them considered it as a necessity but most of them perceived it as enjoyment and a lifestyle experience. (Refer to annexure 3) Our next question was based on the Great Singapore Sale itself, that is, whether they have heard of it before or not. The replies we got told us that 60% people were aware of the GSS and rest were not sure and some had never heard of it before. (Refer to annexure 4) Lastly, we asked them whether they would prefer a premium package for the GSS, and 65% of the target audience said a yes. (Refer to annexure 5) The second method which was used was observation, where we studied the patterns of communication of our competitor (The Kuoni Travel Group, India) and the ads published by the company. We observed what the reaction of the companies is, and how they go about promoting their brands. We also tried to analyze their strategy with regards to the Great Singapore Sale and came to various conclusions. (Refer to annexure 6) The ad published by them focused on shopping and much more, it talked about the various GSS events and also other various promotional offers like the GSS tourist privileges which the travelers can avail during the GSS period. It also 25

displayed a very attractive picture of shoppers who are enjoying the shopping experience and filling their bags with a whole range of items and making good use of the discounts on big brands. This ad helped us to understand the companys strategy and how they are going about promoting their brands so that we can keep it mind while we plan out our package and the ad. Ultimately our aim is to present something different from the general packages which are available in the market & also to give a special experience to people who book these packages.

Secondary data: Since the year 2005, this event - organized by The Association of Shopping Centers (Singapore) has been a highlight of the annual GSS.

As of July 2008 Rising costs have not dampened the shopping spirit during this Great Singapore Sale.

Figures from MasterCard: Local cardholders spent 33 per cent more in the first month of the sale, period of (May 23 to June 21), compared to the same period last year. Total Spending has been $238 million so far.

MasterCard World Wide Index of Consumer Confidence: Singapore consumers are most optimistic towards the second half of the year compared to their other Asia-Pacific counterparts

Total MasterCard spending for the GSS so far (includes that from tourists): A 27 per cent rise from last year to US$364.6 million 26

Consumer Spending (Popular Categories): (1) Dining: Sales were up 38 per cent compared to last year to US$27.8 million (2) Jewellery, watches and silverware: With receipts growing 30 per cent to US$15.1 million (3) Department store transactions: US$14.4 million, up 16 per cent. Based on the research conducted, the ad was finalized and we came up with the following reasons to enjoy Singapore during the GSS. (Refer to annexure 7)

THE PACKAGE (Reason no. 1129- fun filled holidays for pleasure seekers) The package included 4 nights stay at Meritus Mandarins premier room with private return airport transfers (BMW or MBenz), breakfast at Jurong Bird Park. Private dinner and drinks at Clark quay, fun filled program to underwater world, dolphin lagoon, images of Singapore, songs of the sea, cineblast and watching a romantic sunset at Sentosa.

LATE NIGHT SHOPPING (Reason No. 1118 Be a part of the Nocturnal Rush) Every Saturday till 11 p.m. NIGHTLIFE (Reason No. 1125 Put on your dancing shoes) The sun may dim but the fun doesnt! As night falls, life begins in many quarters of Singapore. Whether youre a party animal, a 24-hour foodie or just a night owl craving adventure around the clock, there are many sizzling surprises to keep your senses satiated till the wee hours of the morning. In fact, Singapore has the

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added advantage of being one of the safest countries in the world for you to hit the streets at night. SINGAPORE FOOD FESTIVAL (Reason No. 1145 Tease your Taste buds) Attention all food lovers out there! The highly-anticipated annual Singapore Food Festival will be back from 17th July 26th July 2009 with a Peranakan twist. This year's Food Festival continues to bring Singapores much-loved local cuisine to the world stage by highlighting its unique local food and heritage. With the Peranakan culture as the main theme this year, visitors will be introduced to the heavenly tastes of typical Nonya cooking in Singapore, which is a unique blend of Chinese and Malay cuisines. Come immerse yourself in the distinctive Peranakan culture and enjoy an eclectic selection of tantalizing Peranakan delights. This is as close as you can get to experience being a Peranakan for a day, only at the Singapore Food Festival 2009! Not forgetting our other ethnic cultures, this year's food festival will also see Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam highlighting the unique aspects of their respective ethnic cuisines and the different cultures through food.

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3. Problem statement

While advertising creates awareness and provides to the target consumer the rationale to buy a product, sales promotion induces him/her to try/buy the product.

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5. RESULTS

5.1 FINDINGS From the findings, we can say that advertising and sales promotion have different purposes. Advertising creates awareness about the product or service whereas sales promotion makes the consumers buy the product. It has been seen that promotion uses various tools to perform three essential roles-informing, persuading and reminding target audiences. Many companies use sales promotion to compete in the market because it helps to stimulate sales and even consumers nowadays are attracted by and prefer to go in for various promotional tools offered by companies. We have seen as to how important it is for companies, to adapt the sales promotion techniques in order to make the consumers buy their product. Advertising is a key element in the promotional mix of marketing. It is a tool used by marketers to reach out to the end users of the products and services. It is expected to create a brand image and build brands. The findings also revealed how the market for tourism in Kolkata is growing. Now people are becoming more open to try new ideas and exploring places, they also have become brand-conscious and lifestyle oriented.

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5.2 EXPERIENCE AFTER RETURN 5.2.1 WORK LIFE My work experience has been very good and fruitful in the company for which I worked. It was a wonderful experience. I did my internship in Vensimal World Travel Agents Pvt. Ltd. Being a travel agency the work environment was very conducive and hassle-free. There was a formal work procedure to conduct the tasks but the environment was totally comfortable. There was good coordination between people and the various departments of the firm. I worked their for 8 weeks and we had to wear formals except for Saturdays. Basically, the companys work life was a great place to work and learn.

5.2.2 SOCIAL LIFE The employees in the firm were extremely friendly and cooperative. Whenever I have had problems they have also been quite helpful. This made the work environment also very pleasant and warm. The employees also used to have lunch together. Though, some groups were formed, but no differences were seen among them. Our supervisor also made us feel very comfortable and dealt with the employees very patiently.

5.2.3 COMPANY SUPPORT My supervisor, Mr. Satish Ramnani is a great person to work with. He is chilled out and fun loving but he is very particular about punctuality. He is a very caring person and dealt with me very patiently. He helped me in my research work and showed trust on me by giving me access to confidential information. He detailed me on my research and then told me to work to get it. Nothing was served on a 31

platter. This really helped me gain confidence and knowledge. He helped me locate the flaws in my project so that I could rectify it. So, the company support was tremendous. 5.2.4 INDIVIDUAL COPING STRATEGIES There was no specific incident when I was faced with a problem, but sometimes work pressure was immense and time was less. So it used to get stressful that time. But it is a part of work life. Other than that, there were some differences among some of the employees, which do exist in every organization. So, I was pretty satisfied with my experience. 5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS I have worked for one of the top travel agencies in Kolkata and I dont think I can actually recommend anything to them. But they can always open up more service centers in the city. Apart from this, I dont think I have any area to recommend on, because the work environment was comfortable and employees were professionals.

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6. CONCLUSION

6.1 LIMITATIONS My project mainly focused only on one destination which is Singapore. I have mainly worked upon only two tools of marketing which is advertising and sales promotion. Had there been more option available, the study would have improved to a great extent. The project accomplished could not take into account the other ways by which customers can be influenced. I would rather say that the scope for research was very limited. Further more the research was focused on only the high-end market of Kolkata.

6.2 AREAS NOT TOUCHED The two marketing tools are being touched upon but the other aspect like consumer behavior has not been discussed. The basics of marketing have been discussed, but the positioning of marketing communication in the marketing department has not been discussed. Thus, we see a very crunch form of the project. The project is only limited to Sales promotion and advertising.

6.3 SCOPE FOR FUTURE RESEARCH The scope for future research is quite broad. Other marketing communication tools life personal selling and publicity can be used to influence consumer behavior. The market can be broadened as well, so that the scope of research is wide. Certain aspects such as brand positioning can also be considered in future. These are some of the points which would make the study more efficient and effective.

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7. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The objective of the project is to deeply analyze the high-end Kolkata market to understand what are their preferences in shopping with a view to promote Singapore as a high end destination focusing on shopping & lifestyle during the upcoming Great Singapore Sale. GSS is the event that showcases Singapore as the most compelling shopping lifestyle destination of the region. It is Singapores most anticipated shopping extravaganza and this year is starting from the 29 May to 26 July 2009. The project involves the service sector of tourism industry, sales promotion and advertisement tools. Thus the area of research is marketing management. The company where the internship is done is Vensimal World Travel Agents Pvt. Ltd. Vensimal World Travel Agents is regarded as one of the leading IATA Travel Agencies in Eastern India since 1928. This year Vensimal is working on the theme "2009 Reasons to Enjoy Singapore" where it will be talking about reasons to enjoy Singapore & my objective will be working on the reasons on fictitious numbers as reason numbers, so all the activities be it shopping, attraction, lifestyle etc will be considered as a reason to visit & enjoy Singapore The project analysis is based on information which is collected from 15 to 20 various sources including books, business magazines and various websites from internet. The literature survey consists of various definitions of marketing, sales promotion and advertising tools. It analyze that the nature of advertising and sales promotion were very different from each other. Moving forward with the project, the various research tools were devised, which were used during the course of the project to work on the topic. For the sake of research, primary data is mainly used which includes both qualitative and quantitative data. The tools used for the collection are questionnaires and observation. The methods were selected, keeping in mind the nature of the 34

subject. When we talk about advertising and sales promotion, it is directly related to the consumer behavior. Thus, we could only find questionnaire method to know the consumer perspective. Observation was done to study the impact of various method adopted by various companies. The secondary data used in this research is gathered by various magazines, books, internet, journals etc. The data analysis includes the analysis of both primary data as well as secondary data. For the purpose of analysis, the various Mathematical tools used are PieCharts, Line Graphs, Bar Graphs, Tables, etc. to understand the various raw facts collected and come to a conclusion. It helped the company to understand the likings and preferences of the market and which advertising tool or media would best fulfill their purpose. The findings concluded the importance of sales promotion in the marketing activities of a company, and also how advertising plays a different role in the same organization. Though, both are different concepts, but they may be used complementarily, individually and also at the same time.

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